Trump Proposes Green Cards For Foreign Graduates

Former US President Donald Trump recently said in a podcast that foreign students graduating from colleges in the US should get a green card to stay in the country. Trump's latest statement is a reversal from restrictions he enacted as president on immigration by highly skilled workers and students to the US.

A green card, also known as a permanent resident card, permits individuals the right to live and work permanently in the US. Moreover, it is a step towards citizenship. In the podcast interview with Silicon Valley tech investors on Thursday, the Republican leader said, "I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country, and that includes junior colleges.” Trump also added that the Covid pandemic had disrupted his plans to hand out green cards to foreign graduates.

Immigration has been Donald Trump’s signature issue during his bid to return to the White House this year. During his term as president, Donald Trump’s immigration agenda included restrictions on visa programs, green cards, and other forms of legal immigration. The New York Times, citing US State Department data, reported that the country hosted nearly one million international students in the academic year that ended in 2022. Notably, a majority of these students are from India and China.